Retailers add charitable element to online shopping

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 - 14:25 by Sarah Collinson

A new browser-based application has been developed to allow consumers to do their bit for charity all while they enjoy safe shopping online with some of the UK's best known brands.

Retailers including Tesco, Debenhams and Thomas Cook have signed up to be part of the Give as you Live scheme and there are more than 1000 e-commerce operations taking part in the drive, which will see donations being given each time you buy goods online.

There are more than 200,000 different charities which can benefit from this scheme and you are able to select your preferred recipient when you download the app, which is completely free to do if you have a Windows PC with Internet Explorer installed.

The way the app works will not make your shopping more expensive when you buy online. Instead each time you go to the checkout of your favourite e-commerce site the app will work out what you are spending and donate 2.5 per cent of the total to your chosen charity, with the funds being paid by the retailer, as a deduction from the total cost of the goods.

Millions of pounds has been invested in the creation of the Give as you Live scheme and it looks like a particularly hassle-free way for UK consumers to start drumming up charitable donations from retailers without having to directly pay a penny themselves.

Charity spokesperson, Geoff Squire OBE, said that the intention when creating Give as you Live was always to make something which would work in harmony with current trends for safe shopping online. Users need not alter their habits in any way and it will revolutionise the way in which people give to charity, according to Squire.

If you are not an Internet Explorer user then you will be pleased to hear that both Firefox and Apple's Safari browsers will be getting their own versions of the Give as you Live app soon.